THE MUPPET SHOW—After entirely too long in exile, Kermit and his gang are back on the big screen—with costars Jason Segel and Amy Adams, music from The Flight of the Conchords' Bret McKenzie, and co-written by the guy who did the great Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Sure, it could be a letdown. But also... it's the Muppets. The Muppets! They're back! EH Various theaters, see Movie Times and our review

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25

FULL BELLY—The inaugural Underbelly Bender stretches from now 'til New Year's, with seven ripping good rock shows at dive bars scattered throughout town. It kicks off tonight in St. Johns with a trio of great local acts: the indelibly tuneful Your Rival, the moody yet upbeat songs of Nick Delffs' Death Songs, and the majestic frenzy of Underbelly's hosts, And And And. NL Slim's Cocktail Bar, 8635 N Lombard, 8:30 pm, FREE

COMEDY INVASION—Even cranky bald-headed comedians have friends, and Auggie Smith's are all in town this weekend to celebrate his upcoming wedding, with a lineup of out-of-town stand-ups grandiosely dubbed the "International Comedy Invasion." If they're as funny as Smith, it's gonna be a good night. AH Mississippi Pizza, 3552 N Mississippi, 8 pm, $10, 21+

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 27

HIT IT—The second Portland Drum Fair, brought to you by the fine folks at Revival Drum Shop and Rhythm Traders, is a celebration of all things drummy. Builders and vendors hawk their wares, rare instruments are on display, local percussionists give clinics and performances all day long, plus lots more! And we promise: No drum circles. NL Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell, 10 am-6 pm, $5-10, all ages

NICE WORK—The city is teeming with opportunities to invest your holiday dollars in Portland's creative community, and Open for Business is a don't miss. This weekend-long sale features many of the best including the debut of hotly anticipated home-goods outfit Nice Work. MS The Cleaners at the Ace Hotel, 403 SW 10th, Fri-Sun 11 am-6 pm, openforbusinesspdx.com

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28

PRAISE—Yeti Publishing's Mike McGonigal shares his vast knowledge and passion for rare gospel music with the program Shout Troubles Over: The Ultimate Gospel Video Bootleg, Volume One. Prepare to be blown away by little-seen archives from the past century—the footage may be grainy, but the music will be great. MS Hollywood Theatre, 4122 NE Sandy, 7:30 pm, $7

DOGGY HOLIDAY—Sorry, Peacock Lane, but the best holiday light display for my money is the Jubitz Winter Wonderland at Portland International Raceway! "Ooh" and/or "ahhh" over 250 festive light displays (many animated) as you drive around the track! And tonight only? Park the car and walk your holiday-loving dog around the raceway instead! WSH Portland International Raceway, 1940 N Victory, 5-9 pm, $6 (dogs and children under 13 FREE), pet food donations accepted

CH-CH-CHANGES—Tonight, catch the editor of The Nation, Katrina vanden Heuvel, at Powell's discussing her new book, The Change I Believe In: Fighting for Progress in the Age of Obama. Pick vanden Heuvel's brain about her take on the first years of the Obama administration—hint: it's positive—and hear some excerpts from her collection of commentaries. AZ Powell's City of Books, 1005 W Burnside, 7:30 pm, FREE

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30

THUNE'S TUNES—Armed with a guitar and a disarming wit, the charming Nick Thune noodles while doing short-form wordplay and jokes. Sure, he has the guitar, but I wouldn't go so far as to call him a musical comedy act—his playing serves more as a calming and funny soundtrack to a rolling queue of puns and one-liners. CF Helium Comedy Club, 1510 SE 9th, 8 pm, $15-20

FOR WHAT ALES YOU—For the 16th year in a row, you can enjoy all the beer and miserable fall weather your rain jacket can handle at the Holiday Ale Festival, which will be hosting 40 breweries over five days. Thank goodness summer is over—who doesn't hate drinking outside basking in warmth and sunshine? MJ Pioneer Courthouse Square, 701 SW 6th, Wed 2 am-10 pm, Thurs-Sat 11 am-10 pm, Sun 11 am-5 pm, $25 for mug and beer tickets, 21+